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Julen Lopetegui ahead of Sevilla FC-SD Huesca

LOPETEGUI: 'SD HUESCA WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH TO GET OUT OF THEIR SITUATION'

12/02/2021
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'We will have to be at 100% tomorrow, Huesca will demand that of us'
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Sevilla FC manager Julen Lopetegui attended the media this Friday afternoon in the traditional pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow's game against SD Huesca. Lopetegui began by stating 'we are trying to find the right response to the demands of tomorrow's game - it will be complex and difficult for many reasons. I would say the most difficult given the opponent and how they are fighting to the death to escape from the bottom of the table. They are playing well: they drew against Villarreal, they beat Valladolid and they could have beaten Real Madrid. They were on a good run with the previous manager and they've kept that going with the new one. It will be incredibly difficult. La Liga is our main competition and we have to be at our very best because our opponent and the competition demand that of us.'

Cuerpo Inferior

'I won't speak about individual players 24 hours before a game. What we need is the word 'team'. We will adapt to whatever individual situation so that the team can become stronger. In every training session, the very few that we have, we work on these situations. We will play a game only 62 hours after our last one while Huesca have had time to prepare physically, tactically, and mentally... we will have to get back to 100% very quickly.'

'SD Huesca are a very competitive team and were a tough opponent for Villarreal and Real Madrid'

Lopetegui then spoke about Huesca's position: 'They can definitely stay up. Pacheta is doing a great job, as was Míchel. They are a very competitive team. Now they've changed their profile and they could have won many more matches than they have done. They were a tough opponent for Villarreal, Valladolid and Real Madrid where they got in front and had lots of chances thanks to their play style.

Lopetegui stated 'we go into every game with the maximum motivation to win. They are the most important points as they are the points that are currently up for grabs, and the opponent feels the same way. Every team will fight for their goals at this stage in the season. All the teams have been developing their game in the little time we have this season. We always try to be a team with the desire, aspiration and ambition to be even better. Sometimes we think we're better and other times we don't, these moments happen during a season. But we always intend to improve and grow to compete in every competition.'

'I'm convinced it's the most difficult game of the week. The statistics back it up.'

Julen insisted on the difficulty of the game: 'The statistics back up the difficulty of this match. Huesca are a good team that took Real Madrid to the limit and only lost the game in two isolated plays. I'm sure of what I'm saying. After that, we focus on ourselves and our response, but I have to say the opponent is very strong.'

Finishing up, Lopetegui spoke of his happiness with the team: 'If there's anything I'm happy about it's the attitude of every player - those who play more and those who play less. Everyone contributes to the group. Without that you cannot achieve anything. I'm very grateful for the attitude of my players. Everyone knows that at any moment it could be their turn. They are all ready and prepared for that opportunity as it will come.'

'Partial analyses are no good. I'm proud of what we're doing but we still have the most difficult task to come, which is always the next game'

'I'm proud of what we've done so far but I'm also aware that we're just halfway into the season and we still have the most difficult task to come, the next game. Partial analyses are no good as you take your eyes away from what's coming up. Our energy is for tomorrow, not what we did yesterday. We are doing some things well and we can improve in others. We have very little time to work on those things, but that's the situation we're all in this season. Now we can only focus on the complicated match tomorrow where we will have to be at our best to win.'